Singer and TV star Cilla Black, who enjoyed a 50-year showbusiness career, has died aged 72, police in Spain say.
The 1960s singing star became a popular TV celebrity on such shows as Blind Date and Surprise Surprise.
Born Priscilla White in Liverpool, Black changed her name to launch a singing career with hits such as Anyone Who Had a Heart and You’re My World.
She made her TV debut in 1968 with her own BBC One primetime series and went on to host a number of shows for ITV.
News agency Reuters said police in Malaga said Priscilla White had died in Estepona in the Costa del Sol region.
The death appeared to be due to natural causes, but this had not yet been confirmed by tests, police told the news agency.
A post-mortem examination will be carried out, although early indications suggest Black – who suffered from hearing problems and arthritis – died of natural causes.
A post-mortem examination revealed she was knocked unconscious and died of a stroke.
In the family statement which was given ,they declared she would not have suffered.
Cilla Black may have had a chance of survival had she been found straight away, a pathologist’s report has revealed.
The singer died from a stroke after falling and hitting her head at her Spanish villa.
It is believed she was not found for at least four hours.
A pathologist report into the 72-year-old’s death revealed the injury she suffered does not usually cause death but she was also showing signs of heat stroke.
The ten-page report confirmed the former Blind Date presenter suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage – a rare form of stroke caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain.
The medical experts who examined her said the haemorrhage had been caused by a head injury they thought she suffered as she fell backwards and hit her terrace wall.
Last year Black received honours from Bafta and the Royal Television Society in recognition of her lengthy career.
A recent ITV drama series about her early years saw her played by the actress Sheridan Smith.
Her music career began while working as a hat check girl at Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club.
It was there she met her husband-to-be Bobby Willis and performed alongside such acts as The Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers.
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